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It’s no secret that quarterback Peyton Manning makes everyone around him better, just look at how the Colts fared without him in 2011.Â With Manning now under center in Denver, his new teammates, especially the receivers and tight ends, are primed to have potent seasons.

Among the players expected to benefit from Manning’s presence is third-year receiver Eric Decker.Â Decker, whom Manning has already started working out with, is looking to build off of his eight-touchdown season.

Four weeks into last season with Kyle Orton leading the offense, Decker had recorded 20 catches for 270 yards and four touchdowns.Â Towards the second-half of the season, Decker’s overall production slipped as the Broncos focused more on running the ball.Â With Manning leading the charge this season, Decker and fellow explosive receiver Demaryius Thomas have seen their value in fantasy football leagues skyrocket, and for good reason.

Manning is not a has-been quarterback in this league; he still has a reliable arm and has remained a productive offensive weapon.Â Over his past two seasons (32 games from 2009 and 2010 — he missed the 2011 season with an injury), Manning threw for 9,200 yards, 66 touchdowns and was sacked 26 times and lost one fumble. Â

For comparisons’ sake, consider that over their respective last two seasons (60 games from 2010 to 2011), fellow quarterbacks Kyle Orton, Jay Cutler and Tim Tebow combined for 13,387 yards, 82 touchdowns and were sacked 158 times and lost 21 fumbles.Â The three above mentioned quarterbacks averaged 223 yards a game (Manning averaged 287.5), 1.36 touchdowns a game (Manning averaged 2.06) were sacked 2.63 times a game (Manning was sacked 1.23 times a game) and lost a fumble almost every other game (Manning lost one fumble in 32 games).

As the stats above have shown, Manning has been more productive than Cutler, Orton and Tebow and perhaps more importantly, has taken better care of the football.Â Manning’s impressive feats bode well for his offensive teammates, as their production will rise due to Manning’s efficiency.

“Peyton expects so much out of himself that everyone else also wants to play at that level too,”Â Broncos newly signed tight end Jacob Tamme, who played with Manning in Indianapolis, said on Friday.Â “Itâ€™s a neat thing and itâ€™ll be fun. I think everyone will really enjoy playing the style that he brings as a leader at quarterback.”

Manning has the ability to make everyone around him play better. (Image courtesy of Beck Diefenbach/Reuters Pictures)

The offense as a whole will benefit from Manning’s ability to put points on the board, something Denver struggled with last season.Â When the Broncos were recruiting Manning earlier in the month, Head Coach John Foxinformed the veteran quarterback that when teams coached by Fox have scored 26 or more points a game, they have a 39-3 record.Â During his tenure in Indianapolis, Manning averaged 26 points per game.

Not only will the offensive skill players benefit from Manning’s knowledge and skill set — which features a quick release and a knack for putting points on the board — but so will the defense.Â Denver’s defense is built to protect leads and harass quarterbacks attempting to make a comeback, and that’s exactly what defensive end Elvis Dumervil and outside linebacker Von Miller, who averaged 1.38 combined sacks per start last season, will be looking to do in 2012.

The NFL today is a passing league and the teams that compete for championships have two things: A franchise quarterback and pass rushers to disrupt passing offenses.Â Denver is now equipped with both, and they will compliment each other.

If Denver is able to build leads this season and score points like Manning has historically done throughout his career, they will force teams to play from behind, which is to Denver’s benefit on defense.Â The Broncos defense is not built to defend against the run (as Mr. East would emphatically tell you), and the defensive unit is better suited for offensive shoot-outs.

With experienced cornerbacks in Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter, and pass rushers capable of getting franchise quarterbacks on the ground, Denver’s defense is built to compete with the elite teams in the NFL and their style of offense.Â With Manning as the quarterback, Denver’s offense is now ready to compete with the elite, as well.

http://twitter.com/TimLynch1978 Tim Lynch

Jon, you are making it hard for me. Â It isn’t even April yet…..can we just fast forward to September? Â :)

http://broncotalk.net Monty

No kidding.

WE have Peyton “The Freaking Robot” Manning everybody!

http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon

It’s not all that bad, Tim.

With April comes the draft and we get to talk about all our new shiny rookies.Â Following April comes May and OTA’s and then June, where we die of complete boredom.Â But there is life outside of football, so in June we’ll enjoy the summer!

Then the fun starts in August with Training Camp!Â After camp, pre-season comes and then…. season opener!

http://twitter.com/TimLynch1978 Tim Lynch

Oh I agree….but you just made me feel like we’re already Super Bowl bound. Â So, let’s this the show started!! Â

Anonymous

I can’t wait to see how DT and Decker explode! Great article as always!

Anonymous

Can we PLEASE sign a couple of DT’s though haha

Anonymous

And just think…Â We can now play our Broncos in Madden again.Â That will tie up most of August for me.Â Lol

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6QO2KBTMVMOTHG3DBGXA2PP55Q Stockburn

I got major concerns with DT being able to pickup the Manning offence. Â I think we need to look at a WR in the 3rd round…and if the right guy falls to us in the 1st we may want to take a hard look at him.Â

Speer

This article jives with what Ray Lewis said “Peyton makes a below average team an above average team.” Â With that said, Broncos are getting more talented making them above average, which means Peyton is making our above average team Super Bowl Contenders. Â

I love how people underestimate the Broncos and I can’t wait until we shut out our contenders. It’s time to show the world this is Bronco Nation. Â I’m ready to party, let’s play already!!!

Hansen

Â Seriously Trog.Â I’m actually getting nervous over the current void on the D line.Â I know everyone is banking on playing with a lead, but DTs are still needed.

Speer

Agreed, once we get our defense in order our foes will have a difficult time controlling the ball, and that can ease the pressure off of Manning by maintaining a comfortable lead each game.Â

http://twitter.com/TimLynch1978 Tim Lynch

I suggest re-watching the final seven games from last season. Â DT was freaking wide open so often it was frightening. Â Perhaps it was due to CB laziness and lack of respect for Tebow throwing the ball, but I think DT is going to be a BEAST.

Tom9798

Thanks Jon . . . Great article! . . . To think that Manning went 9,200 yds. and 66 touchdowns in 32 games is incredible.

To think that this ‘Fast Break,’Â ‘No huddle,’ Offensive machine is going to be wearing Bronco Orange is still like a dream to me.

I can’t believe it’s only March!

rcsodak

Hoow did teams beat indy? With a run game. Keeping him on the sideline. So this talk of having the defense to stop teams playing catchup is bunk, imo. They HAVE to rebuild the dline, because PM doesnt have another 10yrs in him.

Anonymous

I too think Demarius will be a freak this year.Â He didn’t have a QB that could help shape him running his routes, nor helping him identify defensive schemes. yeah, I know coaches are there to help, but having a QB that’s playing with you on the field goes a LONG way.Â I am so stoked for this year.Â Is it Sept yet?!?!?!

flbronc

DT is going to have to run routes for real this year.Â HeÂ hasnt had to since high school.Â at GT it was mainly go routes and occasionally a hook or stop and go- nothing complex at all.Â last year with tebow it was half run your route, then find where tebow ran to and try to help him out.Â he’s shown flashes for sure, like the route in overtime in the wild card round.Â he is very good after the catch as well.

btw, welcome to the blog Tim.

flbronc

Â not always… remember the 2009 dolphins (debuting the wildcat) that were built to totally pound the ball?Â i believe that they kept the ball for almost 45 minutes and still managed to loose to the colts.

http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon

In his final season starting with the Colts, Manning’s defense allowed 114 rushing yards per win on average and 182 rushing yards per loss on average.Â So yes, the best way to beat Manning is to keep him off the field but that is obviously not easy to do seeing as teams averaged 114 yards on the ground against Indy in 13-of-the-16 games the Colts played in 2010.

http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon

In his final season starting with the Colts, Manning’s defense allowed 114 rushing yards per win on average and 182 rushing yards per loss on average.Â So yes, the best way to beat Manning is to keep him off the field but that is obviously not easy to do seeing as teams averaged 114 yards on the ground against Indy in 13-of-the-16 games the Colts played in 2010.

http://twitter.com/TimLynch1978 Tim Lynch

I agree on your points – DT did seem to have a knack for improvisation, which is something Manning isn’t exactly known for. Â lol

And thanks for the welcome!

Thomasharris54

i play madden online now with the Broncos i just run the ball & throw when i have to with Tebow that’s all you can do, & play good defens, & i’m 15-3 with the Broncos. Xbox 360

Thomasharris54

there are plenty of DTackles in the draft just hope we get the right one.

rcsodak

Look at who beat him.Â Not many shootouts.Â But to teams that could run when necessary.Â That was my point.Â His defense was shit vs the run, and is the sole reason why he only won 1 SB.Â Denver needs to NOT follow in their footprints, imo.

rcsodak

Yards rushing arent necessarily indicative of a successful run game, tho.Â 1 big run kills that argument.Â But high ypc, rush tds and most importantly, gaining rush yards when necessary, ie to run clock out

http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon

In the sixteen games the Colts played in 2010, opposing teams leading rushers averaged 4.6 yards against them a game and scored a touchdown every two and a half games.

So, those aren’t great run defense numbers, but they’re not unheard of.

rcsodak

Ok.Â Fine.Â So denver is set with their current dline.Â Youre all happy.Â Cant wait.

http://Facebook.com/BroncosZone Jon

Haha, I never said that.

rcsodak

No?Â I contend we DONT have the defense to stop the run, let alone the pass with a lead.Â Lat yr, teams were willing to duke it out, thinking a couple scores would be enough to beat a TT led offense. Then there was NE/GB/Buff/Det, who were able to seemingly score at will, on the ground and the air.Â Just adding PM and assuming the defense is all of a sudden able to play with a lead, is both far fetched and wontonly assinine. Imo.

http://profile.yahoo.com/TANWVXRF5KZAKX37RGDZEH25DM Vince

Does anyone truly believe that Manning, at age thirty six, and after major neck surgery, has one super bowl ring, and going to the hall of fame, would waste his time going to a team he will end up retiring as, if he didn’t think that team was capable of getting him to a super bowl very quickly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!